


What Even

by mielipieli



Category: Batman (Comics)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Gen, no emotional abilities
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-11
Updated: 2017-01-11
Packaged: 2018-09-16 20:27:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9288362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mielipieli/pseuds/mielipieli
Summary: Dick is deaged. Could someone please tell him what's going on? They're all expecting him to do something or know something but he doesn't and that makes this situation really difficult. And where the hell is Bruce?probably won't be continued





	

Dick didn’t remember falling asleep under a pile of rubble. Usually he at least remembered an explosion. Or, you know, actually going out on patrol. But, no, he had been grounded by Bruce after another one of their great fights they couldn’t stop having. At this point he didn’t expect to be actively allowed on patrol on more than three days a week. 

The problem with his current situation was also that his arm was hurting. It was always slightly comforting to feel pain in his whole body because that usually meant everything was still attached. That didn’t mean pain didn’t hinder his concentration, though. Concentrate:

It smelled pretty normal for an explosion. He couldn’t make out any chemicals. His suit felt weird. He couldn’t see it in the darkness and his night vision must have been malfunctioning. The suit just seemed to be a bit too big for Dick. When he concentrated on his hearing he was surprised that there wasn’t actually any ringing in his ears. He wasn’t even sure everything was muffled except for the effects of the debris. 

He could definitely make out voices.

„Grayson!“, one of them called. 

Had he ended up in an explosion as a civilian? But why wouldn’t he be called by his first name then? He drew in a gasp of paint as he shifted and his arm was moved. Inhaling the dust of the explosion caused him to cough multiple times. Shit, his ribs felt wrecked. 

„I heard something. Here in this area!“, a male voice called out as Dick’s painful coughing fit started to die down. A piece of rubble above his face was lifted up and Dick stared into the eyes of… a red helmet?!

The guy moved his hand to his ear. Communicator? „Houston, we have a problem.“

„Could you be any less specific, Jason? Despite my moniker I don’t actually have the gift of precognition or looking into your thick skull.“ That voice came from Dick’s own communicator in his ear? Wait a second…

„Babs?“

Silence from the other end of the line.

„Accessing your helmet footage… Fuck.“

At this point two girls and two boys had joined the helmet guy and were just staring at Dick. 

„I guess it’s great that all of you find it so enjoyable to stare at me but I don’t plan on staying under a pile of debris until I die.“

One of the boys, the smaller one with the hood, dropped his jaw. He couldn’t actually make out any costumes but since he wasn’t in any position to refuse what seemed like help, he didn’t really care. He noticed the other boy with the cowl looking dazed. The blonde girl in the purple costume pushed these two - definitely the youngest - out of his sight. The last girl and the helmet guy started carefully removing the rubble. 

While he tried to distract himself from the pain that flared up in every part of his body, Dick thought that he would be very interested in knowing what all of these vigilantes were doing in Gotham. Now that he was trying to just focus on anything he noticed the bat symbol on the costumes of the two who were getting him free. What was…

A small cry of pain halted his thoughts. His arm. He probably should have said something. 

„You okay?“, the girl said with something he could vaguely identify as an interesting twist to the words which sounded like an accent. Dick managed to get his breathing under control.

„Yeah. Just get that away from my arm.“ A frown appeared on her face but she nodded and pulled the debris off his arm. It hadn’t been big. But sometimes an unfortunate landing could do some good damage like breaking the Radius.

———

Until he woke up in the cave at some point during the next day, Dick hadn’t actually formed any new memories. That probably meant he had passed out. One of the boys from the last night, the one with the darker skin who had been led away by the blonde, was curled up in a chair besides his bed. He was wearing a simple t-shirt and sweatpants. Dick was in what looked like the medbay in the batcave. Some things looked different though: The tech was newer and the walls had definitely been painted. His head still hurt far too much to figure out what was going on. 

Dick heard voices coming closer. One was a rough low one, snorting in laughter at something one of the others had said. Another was a soft tenor, the one who had said something to cause the laughter. Then there was also the so familiar voice of Alfred Pennyworth reprimanding one of the other boys. Dick had heard that tone often enough to know exactly what it meant. 

The door to the medbay, which was located directly opposite from Dick’s bed, was opened and Dick stared into the face of a very tall looking guy with dark hair and a white streak at the front. The man’s eyes were of a bright green and his face froze when he saw that Dick was awake. The teenager, Dick was sure his had been the tenor voice, bumped into the older guy’s back and pushed him aside to see what was going on.

„Master Jason, if you would please let me through, to check on our patient that would be greatly appreciated.“ Dick didn’t know how to react to actually hearing someone he knew and then seeing them. He might start laughing or crying right now. He really hoped it wasn’t going to be crying because he didn’t need that kind of humiliation when he was just meeting these people. 

„Ah, Master Dick. You’re awake. Has anyone actually explained what happened to you?“ The boys in the doorway - they still hadn’t moved - shuffled nervously and Dick was really getting the idea that they knew how to deal with this situation just as well as he did. Alfred turned towards them disapprovingly and then back to Dick. „Then how about you two take Master Damian outside and let me deal with the explanation part.“

The boys both visibly relaxed at the confirmation that they didn’t need to explain whatever this situation was.

„Hey, brat! Wake up.“ The kid, Damian, stirred and looked at the tall guy, Jason. „Unless you wanna stay here for awkward explanations you should probably come with us.“ Damian looked at the boys in the doorway, then at Dick, then at Alfred and then quickly got up and slipped out just before the older boys. Wow, they seemed just as emotionally constipated as Bruce. The door closed and Alfred sat down in the chair Damian had previously resided in.

„Master Dick, how old are you now?“ Honestly, that question made Dick pretty insecure about his age. And he thought that would only start at 25.

„15? As far as I know, at least…“

„What seems to have happened is that you were deaged. The Dick Grayson we know is currently 27. Time travel seems unlikely due to the circumstances of the incident but we cannot rule it out completely.“ Ok. Deaging was something Dick could deal with. He had seen it happen before, with the Titans, Batman or people from the Justice League. Although it hadn’t happened to him before. 

„So… Who are all these people?“ 

„They are your siblings. Master Bruce took in Jason, Timothy and Cassandra after they had each lost their parents. Master Damian is his genetic son. They have all joined the two of you in crimefighting over the years. The blonde girl you may have seen last night is Miss Stephanie. She became a vigilante on her own and became Batgirl under Miss Barbara’s wing.“

„Where’s Babs?“

„She had her reasons for not going out on the streets anymore but she helps in technology and mentoring.“ Dick couldn’t quite imagine why Babs would stop being Batgirl but Alfred didn’t seem inclined to telling him more. „Now, you have a broken arm and a concussion as well as a few smaller cuts and bruises. That means you will not be leaving bed today, young man, and whether you will tomorrow is to be decided then. And be nice to your siblings as they are used to the older you taking care of the emotional aftermath of these kinds of situations and are now insecure about how to deal with this. I will be telling them that you are briefed on the situation.“ Alfred got up and turned towards the door.

„Why isn’t Bruce here?“

„He is currently off-world and won’t be returning for the next month. Oh, and do get some sleep, Master Dick.“

——————

Over the next day Dick was visited by two people. Jason and Cassandra. Cassandra came in while he was still sleeping and didn’t speak to him. It felt comfortable as she was reading and Dick was not quite sure he could deal with the idea of being the oldest of five siblings. Jason on the other hand came in while he was awake, seeming apprehensive.

„Hi“, Dick said to try and not make the situation more awkward. The currently older Jason didn’t seem to find any words. „So… your name is Jason?“

„Yes.“ Couldn’t this guy be a bit more helpful?

„Very informative answer.“ At least he had the good grace to look embarrassed. Then a mask formed, hiding the emotion as if he was expecting Dick to attack him.

„Ooo-kay. So apparently old me and you have issues. But seriously? I have no idea who any of you are and I’m just trying to figure out how to deal with all this shit.“ Dammit. He had probably just ruined all of his chances to form any type of bond to Jason at all. The guy gave him a lopsided grin.

„That obvious, huh?“ 

Dick grinned back.

„You stepped into this room looking like you wanted to hide behind a shield.“ 

„Well, old you and me have more issues between us than Bruce. I’m gonna try not to project them onto you, kid.“ That was probably a start.

„You calling me by my name would be asking too much, right?“

„We’ll see, Dickface.“ He cackled before leaving the room very quickly. Not quickly enough to escape the annoyed groan, though.


End file.
